The present invention relates to fishing rod grips in general, and more particularly to fishing rod grips that project in a direction substantially perpendicular and away from the fishing rod.
Anglers must often continuously hold a fishing rod by hand over long periods of time while waiting for a fish to strike. Since the typical fishing rod is linear, and the tip of the rod must be pointed in the general direction of the water, the angler is forced to hold the rod with a rotated or bent wrist. Over time, this contortion of the wrist can cause discomfort, fatigue or injury. Furthermore, the potential for discomfort, fatigue or injury to the wrist is exacerbated when a fish strikes and the angler must maintain a strong grip on the rod, or when the angler must make a repeated motion involved in casting a lure. Altogether, fishing for long periods of time can place a substantial strain on the wrist, arm, neck, back and shoulders of the angler. Several rod configurations have been proposed to ameliorate these risks, but there remains a need for improvement.
A grip that extends in a perpendicular direction from a fishing rod is useful for the angler's handling of a fishing rod, and may reduce the potential for wrist discomfort, fatigue, or injury. However, such an extension becomes a hindrance to storage when a fishing rod is not in use and can interfere with an angler carrying multiple fishing rods at the same time. Moreover, the placement of a perpendicular extension may be useful for some types of fishing, but may be a hindrance for other types of fishing. Thus, there is a need for an improved vertical extension grip that can both reduce the potential for wrist injury, while also being easily removed when not in use and easily repositioned for alternative types of fishing.
Other generally rod-shaped objects must be held by hand and similarly pose the potential for bodily fatigue or injury. Thus, there is a need for an improved grip for holding generally rod shaped objects.